The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-09
Mr.. BRECHER'S MISSION
AS AN AMERICAN PLENIPOrEN.
TIARY To ENGLAND
During the Civil War, as Described
by DR.. Oliver Wendell
Holmes.


end the late Archbishop Hughes, oil
New York, was sent to France by the
Lincoln admi nistrs'ion TO explain the
position Of the UDited STATES toward
the Confedera'es in tho'e countries.
Dr. Oliver Wendell H lines thus de-
scribts Mr.. Beecher's English mission.
Mr.. Henry Ward Beecher went to
Great Britain already well known at
home as the favorite preacher OF q
large parish, an advocate Of certain
leading reforms, one OF the most popu-
lar lecturers cf the country, a bold,
outspokeD, fertile, ready, crowd COM
polling orator, whose reported SER
mons and speeches were fuller Of
catholic humanity than Of theological
subtilties, and whose sympa nies
were OF that lively sort which are apt
to leap the ssctarian fold and find
god Christians In every denomina.
lion. He was welcomed by friendly
persons on the o. her side OF the At
lanlic, partially for these merits,
par ia ly also as "the son OF the cels-
bTated D.. Beecher," and "the
brother OF MIS-. Beecher Stowe.
After few months absence
he returns to Americs, having flishtd
a mora remarkable emb dssy than any
envoy who has rep esented US in
Ed ope slnce Franklin pleaded the
cause OF The young r public ct ths
court Of Versailles. He kissed no
royal hand, he talked with no courtly
diplomatists, he was the guest of no
tiled legislator, he had no Of
fetal existence. Bat through
the heart OF the people he
reached nobles, ministers, courtiers,
The throne itself. Mr..
Beecher's European story is a short
one in time, but long one in events.
He went out lamb alfred clergyman
in need OF travel; and Is such he did
not strive, nor cry, nor did any man
bear his voice la the streets. But In
the den OF lions where his pathway
led him, he rem -mbersd his own
lions nature, a, d tered his voice to
such effect that Its echoes, in the
great vaulted caverns OF London and
LIVERPOOL, are still reaching us, as the
sound OF the woodman's exc
is heard long after the stroke
is seen, as the light OF the
star shines upon us many dsys
after it's departure from the source Of
radiance. Mr.. Bsecher made a single
speech in Great Britain, but it was de-
livered piecemeal in different places.
Its exordium WIS ut cred on the 9th
OF October at Manchester, aad its
peroration was pronounced on the goth
OF the same month in Exeter Hall.
He has himself furnished as an analy-
sis OF the train of repre- sfntations and
arguments Of which this protrac ted
and many iointed Grafton was made
up. At Manchester he attempted to
give q history Of that series of
political movements, extending
through half q century, the log
ical and inevi able end of which Was
open COZ fl ct between the two opposing
forces of f,eedom AID slavery. A.
G a. gov his discourse seems to have
been almost .unpremedit A meet
ing OF one or two temperance advo-
cates who had come to greet him as q
brother in their cause. took on "quite
accidentally" a political character, and
Mr.. Beecher graf 6sd the assembly
with au address which really looked
as II il had been In q great measu c
called forth by the pressure of the
moment. 1t seems more like con.
versation than set harsn. ne. =
la his great closing effht at Exeter
Hall In London, Mr.. Betcher began
by disclaiming the honor OF having
been O pioneer in the anti-s avery
movement, which he fund ia
progress at his entry upon public
life, when he "fell into the racks, a d
fought as we'll a, he knew 10 ", IN the
rauks or in command" He unfulded
before his aud enc the plan aud con.
necuou Of bis previous addresse
showing how they We're related +.
each other rs p arts of consecutive
series. He had endeavored, he told
them, to enlist the idgment, the
conscience, the interests oil the British
people against the attempt TO spread
slavery over the continen and re-
bellion 1t / as kindled. He has thowr
that slavery was the only cause OF the
war; that sympathy with the South
was only Aiding ths building up OF {
slave empire; that the Moth WEI
conteuding for its own ex st, nee anC
that OF popular inst III ions. One !,
the most eloquent p ,ss ges 10 tina
grt at speech 1t Exeter Hall, Llndon
was as follows: "StandiDg by my
cradle, standing by my hearth, stlnd
ing by the altar Of the cnurch, stand
ing by all the PLACES that mark the
name and memory of heroic men VIII
poured their b God and lives TO
principle, declare that in ter
or twenty years OF war vi
will sacrifice everything we hav'
for principle. II toe love {
popular liberty is dead in Grea
Britain you will not understand u
but II thu love OF liberty lives as /
once lived, and has wo thy success III
OF those renowned men that were on
ancestors as much as yours, aud who B.
examples and principles We iaherit I,
make fruitful as 30 much eed corn IL
new and fertile laud, then you will
understand our firm invlnciOle deter
| 90 VIZ oCt
but cam as the heavens abov
us-to fight this war through at Al
h yards aud at every g." His EO
gish audiences at e 1T interrupt
him and tried to hurl min down, bu
his answers to Interruptions wer
mo t fslici,ous, aud the sheer force {
the Americans genius bore dow
everything before II. Pfoi. Newma
moved vote Of thanks to him at th
Exeter Hail meeting, and. it. was ca
ried. DR.. Holmes wrote Of Nj
Bsecher's mission In 1854: "What
the net result, 80 far 90 we can zee,
Mr.. Beechsr's voluntary embassy
So far as he Ia concerned,
has been to lift him froI
the position Of one of the moI
popular preachers and Lecturers I
that Of one Of the most popular men
the country. Those who hate b
philanthropy admire his courag,
Those who disagree with him
theology recognise him 80 having
claim to the title OF Apostle quite a
good as that OF John Elliott, ~bSu
Christian England sent to heather
: America two centuries ago, md Wno
in spite Of the singulsrly stupid ques
} tionings OF the pauves andthe yloien
| o,,noaitton nf kha aaChaun and DOW